36 entries from January 2006

January 28, 2006

Start The Week has been online for a few months now. I'm trying to set up a search facility via Google but in the meantime Jayne has produced an index of the posts so you know where to look for anything you might want to refer to again. You can download it here - Download stw_index.doc

Many of the Church's new mission initiatives have been funded from the
Church Commissioners' Parish Mission Funding grants to dioceses. Bishop
Peter Price's Resourcing Mission Group has been looking at the future
of mission funding and resourcing; their final report has been
published and is available for download here.

In the deanery of West
Bromwich there are 11,060 young adults aged 16-29. Only a handful of
them belong to the Church of England

Pioneer Leader for a new missional
community

The Diocese of Lichfield, in association with the Walter Stanley Trust,
is seeking to appoint a young creative church planter with a grasp of
contemporary culture and a real heart to see young adults come to faith in Jesus
Christ.

Purpose: to plant a new kind of church, evangelising the
networks of unchurched young adults who live, work, play sport or who club and
pub in West
Bromwich

7
year appointment; parsonage house provided; possibility of further team
members

Life Balance A 5 session course on rest, work and play for LentRobert Warren & Sue Mayfield, Church House Publishing, £3.99

What is in it?Thankfully, this book is not
sanctimonious, patronising or unrealistic – books on “stress” &
“wholeness” abound, many of which are worse than useless. This book
recognises the complexities of modern life and the difficulties in
creating a healthy and spiritual life balance. It offers 5 interactive
sessions on understanding the interpretation of Sabbath as a holy gift
and the transforming of Sabbath rest & play as well as developing
“Sabbath attitudes”. This is refreshing because it focuses on creative
possibilities within our experience. Furthermore, it offers related
and accessible biblical study, discussion, meditation and reflection
aimed at facilitating individual and communal change, to achieve a
healthier life balance.

Who is it for?The book aims at traditional
Lent groups. This would be most attractive for Lent study because it
offers such an integrated approach. The book, though, could be used
successfully at any other time of the year except that it might cheer
up the discipline of Lent! Frankly, the book would appeal to a very
wide age range – it would be possible to have this in one group or to
group the age ranges appropriately. The temptation is to say that only
overstressed people need it – this is nonsense; the content of the book
should be required reading for all people, hopefully in a preventative
manner or possibly in a therapeutic way or even for a few, as
maintenance!

Strengths

Clearly set out

Accessible and Relevant

A touch of humour

Encouraging

Stimulating

Life enhancing

Potential weaknesses

None

ConclusionThis is an excellent
resource. Although clearly aimed at group discussion an individual
would gain considerable information and ideas by just reading it. This
book is a gem, especially at the price.

Following the GfE tour and publication of a number of resources last year, you can now access more material and thinking around this agenda at the GfE-maintained website www.ciasa.org.uk which went live just before
Christmas. Worth a visit!

Following on from the research conducted by Alan Jamieson in New Zealand and written up in "A Churchless Faith", a network was set up for people whose faith is in transition , called "Spirited Exchanges". At Greenbelt last year Jenny McIntosh from Spirited Exchanges NZ spoke and there was great interest in what she was sharing. Now a UK "Spirited Exchanges" network is being formed; you can see more details on their website at http://spiritedexchangesuk.co.uk/. I've been involved in this setup and would be happy to tell you more if you're interested.

If you read a newspaper or watch the television you would be led to
believe that God is dead, faith is irrelevant and anybody professing to
be a Christian has exchanged their brains for cotton wool! But
worldwide well over 600 million evangelical Christians (two million of
those live in the UK) are saying that not only does God exist but He is
working in a myriad of ways right now in 21st century society.

Most of us have heard of 24/7 Prayer, Soul in the City, Make Poverty
History and the Alpha Course but as well as these headlining
initiatives we want to hear what God is doing around the UK. For this
reason Premier Christian Radio and the Evangelical Alliance have joined
together to ask just that - What is God doing in your area, where you
live, in your church, place of work, etc?

I am writing to ask you to visit our survey at http://www.communicateresearch.com/ea and take part in what we hope will be one of the biggest and most
significant surveys of the year. Through your contributions we want to
encourage you by showing how God is working throughout our land. But
just as importantly we want to send a challenge to a society, which is
seriously doubting the ongoing relevance of the Christian faith, that
Christ is still relevant in 21st century Britain. Therefore we want as
many people as possible to take part so why don't you forward this
email to your Christian friends - let's together see what God's doing
around the UK!

From Gillian Orpin at Centre for Contemporary Ministry. Can anyone in your area make use of this opportunity?

The SHARING SHOW: Good News - and how to give it away

To the Diocesan Missioners

We are sure you will be glad to know that through the generosity of the Christian Resources Exhibition the large Tingle Creek Hall (450sq m) at Sandown Park Esher from 9 - 12 May 2006 will be exclusively devoted to an exhibition of new outreaches in mission – an Exhibition within the main Exhibition.

‘The Sharing Show’ will enable Christians to see some of the new things that God is doing today that are making an impact upon the cultural environment of post-modern Britain and changing the lives of individuals and communities. It will also show how Christians may be equipped and empowered to be active in the major areas of mission - Family, Workplace, Community and Church.

Any 21st century mission project qualifies for a place in the exhibition. You don’t have to have money to participate – just vision (and enthusiasm!) plus something practical to share.

This is a great opportunity for those involved in new outreaches to share good news that will encourage and inspire others to offer presentations, drama, demonstrations, or lead a seminar, or have a share in a forum.

‘The Sharing Show’ Good News - and how to give it away is being organised by the Centre for Contemporary Ministry on behalf of the CRE. They are keen to hear of any new mission projects of which you may know.

Please respond as soon as possible if you would like to be involved and take this further:

Further information about this exciting opportunity from Rev Gillian Orpin on gorpin@onetel.com

The Sharing Show is part of the Centre for Contemporary MinistryMoggerhanger ParkMoggerhangerBedfordshireMK 44 3RW

If you don't receive his mailing here's the latest news and resources from J John.

"Dear
Friend,

Greetings to
you. I pray for the Lord's Blessing on your life and ministry this
year.

I believe
the Church of England is one of the most effective “fishing boats” to “fish”
from in the UK. We are living in great days of opportunity but we need to
maximise the potential of connecting with over 90% of the population who do not
come to Church . Can I encourage you to give evangelism an even higher priority
this year.

I am committed
to 4 areas of ministry:

1. Preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ

2. Equipping the Church to evangelise

3. Training Evangelists

4. Producing Resources for evangelism

I have
written a new Friendship Evangelism 6 session training course called 'Breaking
News' which will be published in March. Would you prayerfully consider
getting your Church to do the course after Easter or some other time this year.
If you would like a free sample copy, please telephone (01923 772288), fax
(01923 770088) or email our office atresources@philotrust.com.

Taking seriously Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations, by word and deed, ‘Breaking News’ provides accessible and well thought out material to assist the church meet that challenge.

The Most Revd Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of York

We are
organising a conference for evangelists for February 2007: if you have any
within your church who have the Lord's anointing to 'do the work of an
evangelist' please let us have their contact details so we can send them an
invitation.

One of the
most discouraging aspects of our ministry when visiting Churches is
finding so many Churches who are 'not prepared' with resources to sow seed into
people's lives. The 'tipping point' for me in becoming a Christian was reading
an evangelistic booklet and I know many others who have also responded in this
way.

Can I
encourage you to 'be prepared' and order a quantity of my book 'The Life - A
Portrait of Jesus' to give to visitors, anyone who makes a commitment to Christ
and any people enquiring about the Christian faith. We are offering
thisfrom as little as £1.50 + pp (please see pricing listed
below) so why not get everyone in your Church to read the
book as a pre-Easter reading book - and you can accompany your Sunday preaching
with sermons on Jesus. If you haven't seen a copy and would like a free sample
copy, again please emailresources@philotrust.com.

Another
ideal evangelistic resource is 'Easter Sonrise' which creatively unwraps the
meaning of Easter. We are offeringthese from only 30p + pp
(please see pricing listed below) so why not purchase a quantity and give 3
copies to each of your members with the encouragement to give to unchurched
friends with an invitation to your Easter services. Again if
you would like a free sample copy, please let us know - THE CAUSE IS WORTH
THE COST.

I pray that
we can help to resource you as you endeavour to equip your Church and see
Christ's Kingdom extended.

January 22, 2006

I've advertised this very significant conference a couple of times. Please pass on the news to those in your area who are planting churches themselves or resourcing others in doing so. It really is too good to miss.
We still have a few tickets available at a reduced price, and IF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WOULD VALUE THIS OPPORTUNITY BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO GO, WE CAN OFFER ONE OR TWO FREE PLACES; first come, first served.
Contact us directly about those places.
Full details are here: http://www.mission21.org.uk/.

The latest press release:
More new churches start in the UK than Starbucks stores

Research to be released at the upcoming Mission 21 conference on church planting reveals that more new churches are starting in the UK than Starbucks stores. This startling new data flies in the face of the image of the church as a dying institution with no relevance to modern society.
While 481 UK Starbucks branches have started since 1998, more than 500 churches have begun during the same period. As this figure is based on only 18 of the more than 400 denominations in the UK, many more churches may actually have opened.
“This is exciting news for the UK church!” declares Archbishop of York John Tucker Mugabi Sentamu. “It seems that everywhere I look today there is a new Starbucks full of people. It is great to think that the same thing is happening with churches. Jesus has so much more to offer to people’s lives than just a caffeine buzz!”
This research will be formally released 9 March at the Mission 21 church planting conference in Sheffield. Up to 800 church leaders from across the UK Christian scene are expected to attend. Speakers will include Bishop Graham Cray, founder of the Pioneer church movement Gerald Coates and the former vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton Sandy Millar.
Dr Martin Robinson, National Director of Together in Mission, states: “God is not dead and neither is his church. I believe that this research and conference will inspire churches to take God’s message of love to every corner of our nation.”
Mission 21 is sponsored by the Group for Evangelisation, Together in Mission and Wycliffe Bible Translators. Information on booking for the conference can be found at www.stream247.com
(END)

Excellent bookstall on site.
Charge: £10 per person or £20 per church group - bring as many as you like.
The charge includes tea and coffee throughout the day. Bring your own lunch. Please note numbers are limited, so it will be on a first-come/first-served basis.
To Book: Contact Jenny Lowery, Tel: 01226 212910 or Email: jennyl@blueyonder.co.uk

2. Emmaus Powerpoint
Here's a PowerPoint presentation unpacking the Emmaus course, for anyone in your area who might want to share it in their church or deanery: Download introduction.ppt

You’re an Angel: Being Yourself and Sharing Your Faith
Peter Neilson and David Currie. Covenanters Press and Scottish Christian Press 2005
(The book is available online from Amazon or bulk orders can be placed through David:
David E.P. Currie, Mission and Discipleship Council, 59 Elmbank Street, Glasgow. G2 4PQ.)

Plus one for review, free in exchange for your review. Contact Jayne at nmea.support@c-of-e.org.uk if you're interested:

Songs of Freedom
Edited by Eileen Mitson
"We put such store by appearances. Yet behind the smiling masks so many of us are wrestling with low self-image, eating disorders, sexual pain, a history of rejection, the fallout from occult experiments - the list goes on. As every Christian leader recognises, the simple step of becoming a Christian doesn't solve the problems.

Eileen Mitson has collected thirteen authentic, first-hand accounts of people whose lives have been utterly turned around by a deep encounter with Christ. All have, at a crucial stage, worked through the Steps to Freedom in Christ, the Bible-based programme by Neil Anderson, author of Victory Over the Darkness and The Freedom in Christ Discipleship Course, which he has developed with Steve Goss. The Steps are at the heart of the Freedom in Christ course."

Two items for your interest from Andrew Davey at the Urban Affairs desk here in Church House:

1. Focolare event: Andrew passes this on from Robert Calvert:

"This is an invitation to you to join the "Focolare Trail" over 21-30 June 2006 and gain a special insight into new movements in the Roman Catholic Church and urban renewal of three Italian cities. We will be looking at the significance of Focolare, St. Egidio, the Catholic Charismatic movement and Vatican II. We will reflect on how the historic churches in Europe are operating in the cities and on the relationship between missionary enterprise and church unity.

Though P.LA.C.E. consultations normally aim at a 'family' gathering of about thirty, on this occasion it will likely double because I have invited a class of international doctoral candidates from the Bakke Graduate University in Seattle. As well as staff members and other invited guests, we will welcome Dr. Ray Bakke (author of 'Urban Christian') to lead us on a historical tour around 'the Eternal City'. We expect to meet a variety of representatives of Catholic renewal movements, and Protestant pastors and Catholic church leaders (including a visit to the Vatican). We will also have European specialists on ancient history, contemporary missions and the historical churches. Cultural tours and free time have been carefully planned and a special Pullman bus will transport through three cities from Trent to Rome.

If you are interested, it will be necessary to arrive at Milan airport by 14.00 on Tuesday 21st and you can depart from Rome Fiumicino on Friday 30th. The total cost of the ten day trail is likely to be 750 euros as well as your transport costs to and from Italy. If you are in need of financial help, please let me know. We are greatly indebted to Ton Jongstra, the Focolare director for the Netherlands and Scandinavia, for making this unique event possible. You can also keep a check on new initiatives through looking up www.placenetwork.org Let me know if you want further information on this or other events."

2. ''Attracting and retaining families in new urban mixed income communities''

Just published on the Joseph Rowntree Foundation website is 'Attracting and retaining families in new urban mixed income communities'.
This study of four such communities investigates whether families living in private sector homes were attracted to these new developments. Read it at:

God's Politics:
Why the American Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It
-An evening with Jim Wallis

Wednesday 15th February 6.45 – 8.30pm

LICC is proud to host an evening with Jim Wallis, whose book God's Politics- a major New York Times best seller - is launched in the UK the same week. It's a scathing indictment of the way in which US politicians on the right and left have chosen either to manipulate or ignore religion for their own ends. It has sold nearly 250,000 copies since it published in the US in January 2005.

Jim Wallis is a leading figure at the crossroads of religion and politics today. He has met with President Bush, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and other prominent politicians on many occasions. A public theologian, internationally renowned preacher, faith-based activist and author, he is also the founder of Sojourners an American network of Christians working for justice and peace.

To book your place call LICC on 020 7399 9555 or email mail@licc.org.uk. The cost is £8, Concessions £6 Light refreshments included.

From the Stats office here at Church House.
New attendance figures show mixed picture for church-going
Figures just released by the Church of England for 2004 show a mixed picture for trends in church attendance. Regular Sunday church attendance fell by one per cent – largely offsetting a similar increase the previous year. But weekly and monthly churchgoing held steady and the number of children and young people at services rose by two per cent.

2. The Guardian has this positive story on a Goth-based church plant:
“The associate vicar at St Edward King and Martyr church in Cambridge, himself a goth, holds a 45-minute service complete with candles and a specially written liturgy for members of the goth community”.http://www.guardian.co.uk/religion/Story/0,,1689758,00.html

More from Share Jesus International on this engagement with the religious hatred agenda and with freedom of speech issues. You'll remember that Rob Frost is organising a tour to look at issues of freedom of speech as they affect evangelism and proclamtion of the gospel. He writes:

"We are publicising this tour in a way in which we hope that we will bring in people who are unaware of the dangers of impending legislation or who are hostile to some of the campaigns which have been running.

1). The aim of the tour is to provide a ‘balanced’ overview of what is happening in the coming 12 months. We want to ensure that all we say is ‘non-emotive’, credible, and informed.

2). We will aim to provide an overview of legislation which could affect local church life.
The importance of prioritising legislation which IS in place. (eg Employment legislation?)
The responsibility of making clear what legislation MAY come in to force.

3). The main aim of the tour is to encourage and to affirm the continuing work of mission and evangelism.
In all of the content the emphasis should be on ‘new opportunities’, or on ‘sustaining work in the new scene’, or on ‘keeping on keeping on’ rather than on giving people a sense of ‘panic’ that everything is under threat!"

January 14, 2006

Churches packed for Christmas pastReports from across the Church of England suggest Christmas 2005 was a cracker for church attendance

An opinion poll
suggesting increasing numbers are attending church services at
Christmas has been backed up by anecdotal evidence gathered from across
the Church of England. In the specially-commissioned survey released
last month, pollster ORB found that 43 per cent of adults were expected
to attend a church service over the Christmas period.

It wasn’t just the
queue snaking from the doors of King’s College Chapel in Cambridge,
where the annual Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols again saw hundreds
attempting to get a seat; all over the country, churches experienced a
growth in the number of people seeking an opportunity to worship.

Portsmouth,
Southwell, Hereford and Lichfield Cathedrals all added extra carol
services to their Advent programmes after overwhelming demand last
year, when worshippers had to be turned away. Portsmouth heldtwo
identical children’s crib services back-to-back on the afternoon of
Christmas Eve simply to meet this rise in demand, whilst 1200 people
flocked to each of the Hereford services. At Truro Cathedral, too, the
traditional service of Nine Lessons and Carols - originally started in
that diocese by its first bishop, Edward White Benson - has proved so
successful in recent years that the Cathedral staged two such services,
each of which were full.

Staying in the South
West, the Rector of Calstock in the south east of Cornwall, Canon
Andrew Wilson, reflected that 2005 has been one of the best Christmases
he can remember. ”Numbers were up at every service,” he said, “with
over 1000 coming to church, which is much more than we would normally
see.” Canon Richard Stranack, Vicar of Stratton with Launcells, agreed:
"Our crib service at Launcells has never seen so many children and
their families” he said, “the Church was packed, which is very
heartening.” At nearby Boscastle, the focus for theSeaside Parish
series on BBC 2, Priest in Charge the Revd Christine Musser, who has
seven churches in her care, said she had been amazed by the numbers at
all Christmas services. “We try to provide something for everyone at
Christmas,” she said “and I have been really pleased that so many
people in the parishes have wanted to be involved in taking part which
is, I believe, what ministry is about.”

In Hertfordshire, the
parish church in the village of Long Marston held its first crib
service in 37 years on Christmas Eve, packing the church with more than
80 people; whilst in Shropshire, the Rector of St Nicholas' in Newport
reported that over 1,000 worshippers attended services at the church in
the 24-hour period starting from the Christmas Eve crib service.A
crib service also proved popular for St George's, in New Thundersley,
Essex, after what was expected to be a quiet event for a few families
turned into a celebration attended by 140 people, 50 of them children,
despite little advertising. The Revd. Anthony Rose, vicar of St
George's,
says: “This was very much an experiment for us, but it's certainly one
that we will repeat next year. What's particularly welcome is that this
new service didn't seem to affect the number of people attending the
Midnight Communion service, which was also very busy this year. We're
looking forward to building on this success in 2006”.

In Manchester, the
Diocese’s ‘Real Christmas’ carol service, broadcast by BBC local radio
across Greater Manchester on 18 December, reached thousands of people,
including many who tuned in at retirement homes, pubs, and hospital
wards. Revd Andy Williams of St Andrew's, Hillock, who hosted the
broadcast, commented, "The service had the greatest impact on those not
normally in church".

In Yorkshire, the
Area Dean of Rotherham, Revd Ann Wood, had to rapidly rearrange her New
Year’s Day service after a sudden burst in attendance. Seeing empty
pews just ten minutes before the service began at St Mary’s in Whiston,
she planned a simple, spoken service, with no sermon. When Ann and her
team came out of the vestry moments later to lead the service, they
were faced with more than 60 worshippers and quickly had to produce an
'ad lib' sermon. The attendance was the highest recorded at St Mary’s
for a New Year’s Day service for more than twenty years.

Meanwhile, the Rt
Revd Jonathan Gledhill, Bishop of Lichfield, used his New Year message
to offer a reason behind the trend: “A record number of people came to
Lichfield Cathedral for the four main Christmas services last weekend –
in fact, congregations have been increasing for several years. One
reason may well be people's sense that our world has cut loose from its
moorings in Christian values and in a belief in a good God who gives us
wise teaching on how we should live together under his laws. Those who
came wanted to put the Christ back into Christmas and into our national
life”.

In the pre-Christmas
survey, ORB asked: “Thinking about the last year, have you attended a
church or place of worship on any of these occasions?” 43 per cent of
the 1019 adults surveyed in the telephone poll between 4th and 6th November 2005, said they had attended at Christmas.